and then there were 26

John Lindsey got his first official at-bat with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night — he flied out as a pinch hitter — and became the 26th Mississippi-connected player to participate in a major league game this season. Twenty of the 26 are native Mississippians. Considering the state’s relatively small population base, this is a remarkable number. Here’s another: 10 of the 26 are products of Mississippi junior colleges. As much as we beat our chest about football in the Magnolia State, evidence suggests that it is really a baseball state.
P.S. Fred Lewis, a Mississippi Gulf Coast CC product, had missed five straight games (elbow injury) before getting back on the field Wednesday for Toronto. He finally started again Thursday night, though not in his customary leadoff spot. It’ll be interesting to see if he can keep his strong season going as the Blue Jays play out the string as a spoiler in the American League East.